Holidays

More on Halloween

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Pam and Max Today was a nice day, so Pam and I spent most of the afternoon puttering around the yard, making modifications to the front yard display. Last night a really stong wind came along and broke a few decorations, even breaking off one of the styrofoam crosses!

Halloween 2009We put out one of the blowups and it really fills the yard! We also added a few bats hanging from trees. Max gets a kick out of Halloween and he spent the day chasing us around the yard! (He’s doing great by the way. He’s on a second round of steroids and his appetite is great.)

It’s been fun doing it this early – lots of people have stopped and talked to us about it. The young girl across the street looks scared already! And we haven’t even got the creepy music or the spooky lighting or the smoke machine going yet!

I’ve got another grave marker drying in the garage, and we’ll put that out tomorrow. I’ve got a couple big spiders (5 or 6 FEET across!) to put out too. And we have not picked up any pumpkins yet. We’ll have to go out to a few farms and see what kind of deals there are!

Commentary

Change through Fun

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I don’t often make posts like this, but this is just too much fun. Here’s the setup: how do you get people to do what is good for them? You can try education, but that is often a slow process. Look at smoking – BC has only 15% of the population as smokers, but just 20 years ago, that number was over 60%… It’s been a tough go. Tough legislation to make cigarette companies responsible for their products, including forcing them to show you the consequences of using their products, have made gains.

Lately, they’ve forced smokers outside of all government buildings, enacting legislation to force smokers 20 meters from doors and entrances. They’ve even forced people in their cars to stop smoking when minor children are in the car. All well and good – for a good cause – your life!

But it takes years and years to get results with this type of approach.

Is there something that could cause change, but at a quicker rate? Is it possible to get people to do something that is good for them, like climbing stairs, even though an escalator is right beside the stairs?

Well, here is a video from YouTube that I think is absolutely hilarious! And the results are clearly instant!

The whole thing is called “The Fun Theory.” Check out their website, maybe you have an idea that can make you money!

Something About Us

Daniel Igali and Right to Play

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Daniel Igali and M On Saturday, Pam and I participated in the 1st Annual Run for the Kids, sponsored by Canadian Olympian Daniel Igali. The run was around Bear Creek Park, just a few minutes from home, so it was a great event for us. Unfortunately the weather was not very cooperative, with rain for most of the event.

The Right to Play component of the day is a cause that lots of people support, including the NHL. Basically it’s designed to give kids in under-developed countries an opportunity to play any sport. It’s good for the kids, good for the society, and good for the volunteers.

Olympic mascotsI ran the 5k and Pam walked it. I’m not one hundred per cent right now, but I was happy with my time. It’s kinda cool beating people half your age in a race. It’s funny how those young thin Asians are so out of shape lol. They look fit, but they can’t even run 500 metres without stopping. I was really proud of Pam. It was tough for her, but she didn’t quit.

It was a nice event, and we will surely be there next year. They had the Olympic mascots out and the kids really do get a kick out of the big puppets.

There was a nice band playing, and I will have to find out who they were, so we can go listen to them someplace. A fine Celtic band that played so many songs from my life… It was really emotional. Songs I knew the words to, even though I hadn’t heard them years. Really swell to sit there in the rain, listening to “Farewell to Nova Scotia” and “I’s the boy who builds the boats…”

It was a nice day, and I ‘m glad we went. Some excercise, some free food, a few prizes, some great music – and all for a good cause. What’s not to like?

Holidays

Halloween 2009

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Halloween 2009 We’re starting Halloween decorations way early this year. We’re going for a graveyard theme. I’ve added a few more tombstones from last year’s display. I’ve managed to get some more “raw material” for the tombstones.

PSA, Halloween 2009The paint job ain’t great, but at night, they look better lol. I’ll work on them a little more. I’ve found a simple way to keep the styrofoam grave stones from blowing away. Simple and easy. Will have to see how I can adapt that to Christmas lights.

It’s a work in progress so far. Pam is off tomorrow, so we’ll probably spruce things up a bit more. She wanted to involve more of the yard, instead of a “Strip of Horror” down the driveway, like we normally do. More room to scare ’em, I guess…

And we’ve added Mike’s door from his Volvo to the proceedings lol.

All About Max

Quick update

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Scottsdale Vet We took Max down to the vet on Friday afternoon. Dr Llewellyn had told us to watch him closely once we stopped the steroids, to see if Max had any difficulty. He has not improved since we stopped the steroids, I’d have to say that.

He’s still a very playful guy. He’s found a road hockey ball that he gets a great kick out of throwing around. Maybe we should train him to throw it when the Canucks score! First few games he wouldn’t have got much exercise tho…

But, he doesn’t have full control of his left front paw, even though he can get around. We’ll give him another go at the steroids. Maybe we can advance him a bit more. We’ll have to keep him from running, so we’ll curtail our visits to the big parks.

At any rate, Max is doing well. Don’t worry about him. He’s mobile. He’s not very steady on his feet sometimes, but you should see me trying to walk these days! haha No really, he’s not as frisky as he was before all this happened, but he was a “senior dog” when we got him. We knew life would happen. 🙂 He’s warm and well fed and loved! And he seems ok with that.

All About Max

Sunday in the park

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Eye on MaxMax and I went down to the Watershed Park today. We walked for 15-20 minutes. He is really eager to run, but I’ve been trying to hold him back. Pam is concerned that he’s regressed a little since we’ve stopped the steroid treatments. So, tomorrow we’re going to take him back to Dr. Shawn for a checkup.

He gets around just fine. He is alert and wants to play as much as he always did. He does “stagger” slightly once in a while, but he rarely falls. He doesn’t seem to be in pain at all. So really, it’s just precautionary, no cause for alarm.

He has a funny little quirk, very much like Buck. When he wants to go out, he goes to the back door and puts his right paw on the single step, then lifts his left leg as if knocking on the door. When we see it, we go over and open the door. He quickly charges out, UNLESS it’s raining, then he knocks you over turning around to get back inside! It is amazing how long he can hold it when it’s raining!

Something About Us, Vacations

Short but sweet

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Looking into the valley Well we’re back home again already. Max really seemed to love his time with the other dogs. Anna Marie and Brian have such a wonderful setup, I knew it would be a great tonic for him.

Lots of beautiful lakesThey said he did very well, and ran about the yard with the other dogs. He stumbled once in a while, but he’s doing fine.

The drive to Wenatchee on Highway 2 is very pretty. The pace is very slow compared to the I5 – on the I5, you better be driving 75 or more or they run you over. On highway 2 they drive 60, not 61, or 62… they drive 60. And if you don’t like it, pull over and have a cup of coffee. Cuz there is no takeout – nobody is in such a hurry they can’t stop and have a coffee.

That’s the first time we’ve been to that particular timeshare and it sure won’t be our last!

Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao